Congressional Republicans Vote to Jeopardize the Health and Economic Security of Americans to Finance Tax Cuts for the Wealthy

December 20, 2017

(BOSTON, MA) -- Statement of Robert Restuccia, executive director of Community Catalyst, in response to House and Senate passage of legislation that would take health care away from millions of Americans to finance tax cuts for the wealthiest households and corporations.

“House and Senate Republicans just rushed through passage of a tax bill that’s a gift to the wealthiest households and corporations at the expense of the health and economic security of working and middle-class Americans. The Republican tax bill would leave 13 million people without insurance, hike premiums for millions more, and cause massive disruption in the health care marketplace. People in their fifties and sixties as well as those dealing with serious health conditions would be particularly at risk of losing or not being able to find affordable coverage.

“The damage doesn’t stop there. The bill would also trigger an automatic $25 billion cut to Medicare, increasing to $400 billion in cumulative cuts over 10 years. This would put the more than 55 million people who depend on Medicare for their health care at risk of losing coverage for critical health services. Furthermore, Speaker Ryan and other Republican congressional leaders have now publicly stated they plan to pay for the $1.5 trillion in tax cuts by going after Medicaid, Medicare and other critical social safety net programs that Americans count on. Such reckless, heartless plans would put children, older adults, people with disabilities and working families across the country at risk of losing care they need, and further erode our nation’s historic commitment to the basic health and economic well-being of all Americans.

“People all across the country have made it abundantly clear in calls, emails and rallies – and by their votes – that they oppose cuts to their health care to finance tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations. We call on Members of Congress in both branches and on both sides of the aisle to pledge they won’t slash Medicaid or make additional cuts to Medicare to offset the more than $1 trillion increase in the nation’s deficit this tax cut will create. Community Catalyst and our allies across the country will be watching – and we will continue to fight to protect people from future efforts to undermine their care or access to treatment.”

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About Community Catalyst Community Catalyst is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1998 with the belief that affordable quality health care should be accessible to everyone. We work in partnership with national, state and local organizations, policymakers, and philanthropic foundations to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @healthpolicyhub.